England’s Dave Ellis has achieved a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games with the help of Ashton’s Luke Pollard.

Dominating the men’s Paratriathlon on Sunday (31 August), Dave Ellis and guide Luke Pollard cleared the rest of the field with ease to arrive at the top of the podium.

Diagnosed with an eye condition as a teenager and receiving the news that he would go blind, Dave’s story is one of true bravery, facing adversity to rise above his expectations.

After having his Paralympic chance ruined by a snapped bike chain in Tokyo, this achievement was incredibly special for Ellis.

A Senior Aircraftman in the RAF, Luke has been a guide for Ellis since 2019, winning golds at World and European Championships.

Now, the pair add Commonwealth champions to their list of achievements.

Speaking after their flawless performance, Luke said, “last year we had to put the Paralympics behind us, and this was the big focus for this year.

“We just went full gas the entire and I feel a bit less fresh than I’d probably like. The crowd was so loud, and we were just trying to get around in one piece.”

A fantastic swim and powerful cycle, Dave and Luke stormed through an unbelievable run in a time of 16:38, making for an overall time of 57:39.

The pair have proven to work wonderfully together, earning multiple championships along the way.

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